Folding lunch-box.



No; 66|,767. Patented Nov. 13, |900.

J. S. llEN. FOLDING LUNCH BOX.

(Agplicacion' med Jan, 29, 1900.;

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.,

JOSEPH S. OBRIEN, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

FOLDAING LUNCH-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 661,767, dated November 13, 1900. Application filed January 29, 1900. Serial No. 3,104. (No model.)

To all whom it waag/concern:

Be it knownthat I, JOSEPH S. OBEIEN, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Springfield,in the county of Ham pden and State of Massach usetts,haveinvent-ed certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Lunch-Boxes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improvement in lunchboxes; and its object is to provide a box of improved construction which can be folded into a very small space and which after being folded can be carried like an ordinary book.

My invention consists in a box having folding ends and bottom, combined with a hinged bottom having end wings or expanders formed integral therewith or connected thereto and which when the folding bottom is forced down and the end wings are raised into position serve to expand and hold the box in shape ready for use, as will be more fully ldescribed hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective of the box expanded and ready for use, the front portion of the box being cut away to show the hinged bottom and the end wings in position and the end wings of the cover catching in between the ends of the box and the end wings connected to the hinged cover. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-sec-4 tion, the cover being raised. Fig. 3 is a detached perspective view of the bottom and the end wings connected thereto. Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-section taken through the box after it is closed.

A represents the front and back of the box, B the folding ends, and C the folding bottom, which is cut away at the ends, so as to allow the inner edges of the folding ends B to fold inwardly when the box is being closed.

Connected to the rear side of the box is the cover D,whic'h is provided with the perforated iiap F along its outer edge and with the two folding fiaps or wings G along its ends, the

therewith or connected to the ends of this bottom are the end wings I, which are adapted to fold down upon the top of the bottom H when the box is closed and which when the box is ready for use serve to expand and hold the box in an open position by catching between the front and rear sides thereof and preventing them from being collapsed. The bottom is just sufficiently wide and long to cover the entire inside bottom of the box and rests upon the folding bottom G, while the end wings I when raised into a vertical position brace and stiifen the folding end pieces B, so that the box cannot be closed.

The folding bottom H forms adouble thickness when opened downward with the folding bottom C, and the end wings I when raised into position form a double thickness with the folding end pieces B,thus not only bracing the folding portion of the box, but forming a box of double thickness at all portions except its front and rear sides. This double thickness of material enables a box of 'more than usual strength and rigidity to be formed from millboard or other similar material. When the cover D is closed, the end wings or flaps G close down between the folding end pieces, as shown, and thus the wings or fiaps G are made to close openings which would otherwise be formed at the top edges of the ends of the box and to assist in bracing the box and making it more rigid while in use. The outer flap F closes down over the front of the box in the usual manner, and any suitable fastening device J is passed through the perforation in the Iiap, so as to hold it securely closed.

VWhen the box is not needed for use, the two end wings I are first folded down upon the, folding bottom H, and then this bottom, carrying the end pieces I, is raised against the rear side of the box, and the box can then becollapsed or folded together, as shown,occu pying no more space than a small-sized book.

Owing to the small space into which the box can be folded and the rigidity of the box when opened, it is specially adapted for the use of both grown people and school children.

After the box has been folded together it is sufficiently small and thin to be slipped into a coat-pocket or be made into a very small parcel which can be readily carried by 4front'fedge, and at its endswith thetWow-i:ngs

.adapted to -be swung upwardlyto occupy 11oa lady or can be placed among and carrie with the school-books-of children.

While intended especially for use as a lnnch-box, it is adapted for all other purposes A Where a box of medium size is needed and when no longer wanted can be folded up into l a very small-space and Ipn'tfaway for further: use.

The millboard which is most advanta-e geonsly used as the material from which the folding receptacle is composed is Water-A proofed in any of the already-known Ways,l and thereby a very durable and serviceable article is produced. v

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters 'Patent, fis- I.' In a fold-ing box, the rigid frontlandirear sidesthe folding end pieces, and vthe 'folding bottom piece,-combined with a 'folding bottom .piece which vis loosely attached at one edge to one of the sides of the lboxialong its ylower edge, and the end iiaps orwings which are adapted to be raised verticallybetwee-n Athe frontand rear sides rof tl1efbox,1and=t'hus Lprevent it from collapsing, substantiallyes described.

2. In a folding Alunch-box, a cover hingelconnect-ed 'to one upper longitudinal ledge of the' box and :provided with a `rfiap along its or fla-ps G, G, and said box comprising 'the end-walls, B, B, -and the expander-sections .sitions close fto said end Walls, the iupper edges of the end Walls andrexzpanders being free whereby said fiapsGr-Gr'of Ythe coverzrnay be entered therebetween., substantially vasde scribed.

3. A Ibox providedwith folding ends, andia folding bottom, a second lbottom loosely at tached to `:the ifnner side of lthe box, and end wings or expanders connected thereto, and which Wings or expanders are adapted t0 be raised vertically between the front and rear sides of the box, combined with a cover havling endv Wingsor flaps, and'which end Wings :ing bottom,'a^second bottom within the box and provided with 'end wings or expanders and which arefada'pted `io be raised vertically and extended lbetween the from and rear sides of the box, combined witfha 'cover fha-v- 4ing'end flaps tor wings adapted to be entered between the ends'of the lboxand the expanders .next therewithin, 'substantially as 'described.

5. A foldiiQfl-unchbox provided "with collapsibleend walls, and fha'ving two bottoms vonezofw'hich 'is fcolilapsible fon ffold-in'g lines between its Kedges, While the other bottom lis hinge-conn ect'ed l"eilen-g =one -e'dge to the 2lower edge of lorne 'box side,fand ionelof Isaid bottoms haivfi-ng wingsor expamderswhfichfa'r'e adapted -to 'be folded down :closely relatively thereto, and Ato be yraised vertically, lamd -Wlhfich extend between lthe front vand rrear `,sides of fthe box, andfa'co-ver lhinge-connected alongfone #upper l'edge lof the ibox.

Signed by me =ait Springfield, Masssachusetts, this 12th daylofda'nua'ry, 1900.

JGSEPH S. fO=BRIIE.N. Witnesses:

iMxiRoN A. 4GrInM-AN,

S. BEIm'oWs. 

